The present invention relates generally to aircraft suspension systems for carrying jettisonable weapons or stores, such as missiles and the like, and more particularly, to a universal aircraft-carriage suspension lug system that secures such jettisonable weapons on or in an aircraft.
The universal aircraft-carriage suspension lug system was selected over known suspension systems to provide immediate tool-free and hand-selectable mechanical interoperability between the Panavia British Tornado GR. Mk1 and other aircraft as well as a post-jettison weapon faired body surface for minimum aerodynamic drag and low radar cross-section.
Historically, jettisonable weapons, such as missiles or other deployable weapons, for example, that are carried on aircraft, have used protruding threaded or bolted eye-type suspension lugs installed during the up-loading procedure. For most applications such as bombs and fuel tanks, for example, interoperability, aerodynamic drag and radar cross-section have not been major concerns as regards the lugs used therewith. For stand-off weapons, however, these characteristics are paramount and are addressed by the present invention.
With the advent of long-range cruise missiles, folding clevis-type lugs were incorporated in place of eye-type lugs, resulting in improved aerodynamic and radar cross-section performance. Interoperability was facilitated by the use of common ejector reaction units that accept a weapon equipped with 30-inch spaced clevis-type lugs.
To eliminate the use of ejector reaction unit sway-braces on the Panavia British Tornado aircraft, a "saddle" lug was developed. Interoperability was facilitated by the fact that the "saddle" and conventional eye-type lugs fit into an existing threaded well of a weapon. In either case, after jettison, it was acceptable for the lug to protrude into the air stream.
More recently, fixed and/or deployable fairings have been devised in an attempt to improve the aerodynamic and radar cross-section performance of weapons with protruding "saddle" and eye-type lugs. While fairings are an improvement over exposed lugs, nothing approaches the performance of an uninterrupted, smooth, body surface, which is provided by the present invention.
The British Tornado aircraft is equipped with a heavy duty ejector release unit used with a Minimum Area Crutchless Ejector. Currently, to prepare a weapon that is to be carried on the Tornado aircraft, a ground-crew must position the No. 56 Mk1 suspension lug (Ref. No. 12A/13-25-99-966-4060, M. L. Aviation Co. Ltd. drawing No. BZ 13641-40B). A special wrench is required to install and remove an attaching bolt. The lug is fixed and protrudes outside the contour of the weapon. It would be advantageous to have a lug system that eliminates the installation of the protruding saddle lug, the wrench and the associated ground-crew workload.
Other aircraft that use an ejector release unit having 30 inch-spaced hooks, are currently prepared for up-loading by installing a Mk. 3 MOD 0 Lug (NAVAIR Drawing 1380540, Ref. MIL-A-8591G (Amendment 5--August 1987). This threaded eye-type lug is installed by hand, without tools, and also protrudes outside the contour of the weapon. It would be advantageous to have a lug system that eliminates installation of the protruding eye-type lug and the associated ground-crew workload.
To facilitate interoperability between the Tornado aircraft that use the saddle lug, and another aircraft that use an eye-type lug, one must either postpone weapon preparation until the aircraft has been identified, or replace one type of lug with the other. It would be advantageous to have a lug system that eliminates preparation delays and/or ground-crew workload associated with the use of these conventional saddle and eye-type lugs.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for a universal aircraft-carriage suspension lug system that secures jettisonable weapons, such as missiles, and the like, on or in an aircraft.